1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to communication systems and more particularly to optical transceivers used within such systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Many standards have been created over the years to govern data transmissions within various types of communication systems using various types of data transmission mediums. For example, Ethernet is a standard that prescribes data conveyance protocols for local area networks. Currently, there are a variety of Ethernet standards for various data rates and for various transmission mediums. Such Ethernet standards include 10 BASE-T (10 megabit-per-second (Mbps) data rate over a twisted pair), 10 BASE-F (10 Mbps over a fiber optic cable), 100 BASE-TX (100 Mbps over twisted pairs), 100 BASE-FX (100 Mbps over a fiber optic cable), 1000 BASE-T, or IEEE802.3ab (1 gigabit-per-second (Gbps) over twisted pairs), 1000 BASE-X, or IEEE802.z (1 Gbps over fiber optic cables), and IEEE802.3ae (10 Gbps over twisted pairs).
A new standard, XENPAK, is being developed to establish compatible sources of pluggable fiber optic transceiver modules in support of 10 gigabit-per-second Ethernet (i.e., IEEE802.3ae). The XENPAK standard specifies, among other things, that monitoring of the optical transceiver (i.e., diagnostics, provisioning, status and control) is to be done using a two wire Management Data I/O (MDIO) interface in accordance with the IEEE802.3ae specification.
Traditionally, monitoring optical transceivers (i.e., diagnostics, provisioning, status, and control) has been done using a non-MDIO interface. In many optical transceivers, the management monitoring has been done utilizing an I2C interface. As such, current optical transceivers are not compatible with the MDIO based management monitoring.
Therefore, a need exists for an integrated physical layer module that includes a method and apparatus for bridging MDIO interfaced optical transceiver management with non-MDIO interface optical transceiver management.
The method and apparatus for managing an optical transceiver of the present invention substantially meets these needs and others. Such a method and apparatus includes processing that begins by transceiving management data with modules external to the optical transceiver, which may be done using an MDIO interface. The management data corresponds to managing the transceiving of electrical data by a data path within the optical transceiver. The processing then continues by converting the management data transceived with the external modules between a 1st data format (e.g., MDIO interface compatible) and a generic data format (e.g., a format convenient for reading data to and writing data from a random access memory). The processing continues by transceiving management data with modules internal to the optical transceiver. The processing continues by converting the management data transceived with the internal modules between the generic data format and a 2nd data format (e.g., I2C). The processing continues by arbitrating access to a shared memory, which stores the management data in the generic format, between requests from internal modules via the second controller and requests from external modules via the first controller.
In another embodiment of a management module within an integrated physical layer of an optical transceiver includes a 1st controller, 2nd controller, shared memory, and shared memory arbitrator. The 1st controller transceives management data with modules external to the optical transceiver and the 2nd controller transceives management data with components internal to the optical transceiver. The 1st controller converts the management data between a 1st data format and a generic data format. The 2st controller converts the management data between the generic format and a 2nd data format. The shared memory arbitrator arbitrates access between the 1st and 2nd controllers to store the management data in the generic format within the shared memory.